1000 times better: padam lal khadka

7/31/2019 1000 Times Better: Padam Lal Khadka

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words & photographs by Narendra Mainali

‘1000 times better’

Tey lived or almost 20 years with uncertain hopes in thetemporary camps in the hotand humid plains o easternNepal, deprived o the basicliving conditions. But theBhutanese reugees now enjoy

the amenities o modernapartments with Europeanstandard o lie.

However, it is not the novelty o lie in Europe they arehappy about — it’s the rsttime in ages that they arebeing treated with respect.



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“Ihad never imagined that I would spendmy old days in this part o the world,

learning new language and skills ,” says PadamKhadka, breathing a sigh o relie. He is oneamong several resettled amilies in Denmark.

“No doubt we waited so long in despair, wanting to go to our homeland Bhutan, but we had no options let than to opt or a thirdcountry relocation,” he says.

In the 1980s the Kingdom o Bhutan took aseries o measures that discriminated againstLhotshampas, one o Bhutan’s three mainethnic groups. It resulted in their mass exile inthe early 1990s.

Since 1991, over one sixth o the people o Bhutan have sought asylum in the sevencamps in eastern Nepal. According to the UNReugee Agency UNHCR, the physical, socialand emotional costs o living in the temporary camps with uncertain utures were too high.Under the supervision o UNHCR, about108,000 Bhutanese reugees were waiting orthe sustainable resolution but the wait couldnot be indenite.

Denmark is a part o the Core Working Groupon Bhutanese Reugees and since 2008, theresettlement process has seen thousands o Bhutanese reugees being relocated abroad,making it the largest resettlement program inthe world. Denmark has received more than350 reugees, and has committed to acceptingup to 150 Bhutanese reugees rom Nepalannually over the next ew years.

Padam and his wie, Bishnu Maya Khadka, who arrived in Denmark 18 months ago romBeldangi 2 Camp, live in a small apartmentin Viborg. Recalling the initial days o hisarrival in Denmark, Padam erupts in laughter,as everything was a unique experience he everhad in his lie.

Compared to those o Bhutan and Nepal,the streets here were quiet and empty with very ew vehicles as i it were a strike. Toughthey received the orientation beore arriving,the language was a main barrier. But a sel-determined Padam never hesitated to ask people whenever he was in any trouble. Hestill continues to draw the pictures o whathe wants to buy or shows his CPR to nd hisaddress i he gets lost.

Padam is ond o wearing the Dhaka Topi , a traditi onal Nepalese cap. “Because I can’t speak in Danish, this cap helps me to connect with otherNepalese staying here, mostly the students,” he says. “I can speak with them and now we are a community.”



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Tough it was a tough decision or the Khadka amily to opt or the third country resettlement, it was or the uture o their kids, they came to Denmark to embark on anew journey o lie.



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Padam is accompanied in Denmark by threesons and their amilies. But he is alwaysconcerned about a son and a daughter who

were let behind when they ed their home inDanabari, Bhutan.

Bishnu oten expresses her sorrow o separationrom her amilies and riends.“We are thankul or everything we have.

Te main worry is about the relatives we letbehind,” she says in a rail voice, trying hard torestrain her tears that tend to burst out. Toughthey have no regrets o leaving the camp,rebuilding lie in a new oreign country hasn’tbeen without the challenges ei ther. Tey barely read and write and can’t speak English. It’stough to communicate with their teachers whohelp them to learn the basic Danish language.

When the clock strikes4 p.m., its the time orthe Khadka to call back to Bhutan.

From left to right: Padam goes to special education to learn theDanish language. Tey are learning the basic survival skills.

Padam’s son, Chudamani, lives close to him in Viborg so hecan be with his amily almost daily. Family is very importantto Padam, and it hurts him that they let loved ones behind inBhutan.

Bishnu was very ill a ew weeks ago and belives that i she stilllived in the camps in Nepal, she would have died rom lack o proper health care.



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Te amily plays the same episode o “Mahabharat,” a popular Hindu epic, time andagain throughout the day on a television set that is as old as they are.



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Padam Lal Khadka goes to the tness centre twice a week. It is not just an opportunity to become t, but also a place to socialize with the local Danes.

Teir skills are limited — it’s tough or themto get work. But they are trying hard to learnthe basic survival skills and have accepted toace the challenges or the sake o the utureo their kids. Padam and Bishnu start theirday worshipping in the prayer room lled

with pictures o Hindu gods and goddesses. Tey pray that the whole amily will soonbe reunited. Te only thing missing in theirdaily lie is a Hindu priest to perorm ritualceremonies — otherwise, they say, “It’s 1,000times better. Tere’s no comparison.”

A piece o paper hang-ing on the walls provides

various inormation to theKhadka amily, such asimportant dates, diferenttelevision channels andnumbers rom relativesliving in other countries.

Te Khadka amily attendsspecial education classes

and occasionally they havethe cooking lessons, whichallows them to interact

with immigrants rom othercountries. Tey alternatecooking cuisine romeveryone’s cultures and they all get involved.

1000 times better: padam lal khadka

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